A 14-MONTH-OLD tot had to be rescued from a baking car by firefighters after she got locked in ­ with the keys inside.

Little Saskia Clarke was trapped inside her babysitter's silver Renault Megane for about 20 minutes while her frantic mother attempted to free the tot.

'We tried to get it unlocked with a coathanger, but it just wasn't working and I didn't know what to do,' said mum Sarah.

'Because it was so hot I just started to panic.

'We could see she was getting really hot and sweaty but I didn't know how to get her out.'

The car was parked in the driveway outside the family home in Eggbridge Lane, Waverton, on Tuesday afternoon as babysitter Veronica Randall and Sarah were preparing to take the Clarkes' four children swimming.

Veronica, who has seven grandchildren and has looked after the Clarke children for 18 months, couldn't believe it when she realised what had happened.

'We were getting ready to take the children swimming. I put the baby in my car and Sarah was taking the older ones in her car,' she said.

'When I was putting her in the car seat I had the keys in my hand and activated the central locking system.

'I had put the keys on the back shelf while I was fastening her into the seat and when I got out I automatically shut the door.'

Veronica said she felt 'upset rather than embarrassed' and was concerned about what effect the heat could have on Saskia.

Although Veronica's husband was on his way from the couple's home in Penyffordd with a spare set of keys, Sarah, who works in Liverpool and is married to Jeff, decided to call the fire brigade.

'We were sure she would be alright but you never can tell in that kind of heat,' said Veronica.

Saskia, who has three sisters Gabby, nine, Imogen, eight, and six-year-old Belle, was beginning to get distressed and the pair thought the best thing to do was get her out.

'I'm not in the AA, but I knew they could get into locked cars so I thought I'd try the fire brigade,' Sarah said.

'They sent an engine round with about five firemen on it and they got her out by smashing the quarterlight.'

Now the youngster seems to be none the worse for her ordeal.

'She was really hot and had two glasses of water straight away.

'I don't know how long children can last in that kind of temperature, but she seems to be over it now,' said Sarah.